World Book Night applications are open

Love Books? Love sharing them with others? World Book Night is your chance to share your love of reading. It’s an annual, one-night only event where people get to give away 20 copies of a book, completely free.

I’ve been a giver before, and it was such a cool experience! I gave away Ender’s Game and chose to station myself at a light rail stop downtown. My very favorite person was a guy in his twenties who asked me why I was giving books away. I explained that I was supposed to pick a spot where people might not be regular readers. His face fell and he tried to hand the book back to me, saying that he was a regular reader so he couldn’t take it. He then said he wanted to give it to his girlfriend who doesn’t read but who he thought would love Ender’s Game. I got to give him the chance to create a reader too.

If you want to be a giver on April 23, all you need to do is apply. The application only takes a few minutes, and you can select your three top choices for which title you'll be giving. The week prior to April 23, you pick your books up somewhere convenient for you. The night of April 23, you go out and give those books away. That's it.

Fine print: you need to be 16 or older. If you are not 16, talk to an adult who you could team up with. They can apply, and you can give out the books together. You must submit your application by January 5 to be considered.